(21/10/2009)

Liverpool Construction Worker Wins Compensation After Fall

A Liverpool-based construction worker has won thousands of pounds in compensation after he was seriously injured in a fall from unstable scaffolding.

Gerard Baccino, 49, was working for John Doyle Construction Ltd. in July 2007 when the incident happened at the Hilton Hotel construction site, which is part of the Paradise Street development in Liverpool city centre.

Other John Doyle employees were moving a scaffolding tower on the site when it overturned and fell into an embankment.

Mr Baccino, who had only been working at the site for a few days, was removing lifting chains at the top of the structure, and fell six metres to the ground when it toppled over. He suffered serious injuries to his back, chest and pelvis in the fall, as well as long-term psychological damage, and has been unable to return to work since.

Hertfordshire-based John Doyle Construction pleaded guilty to breaching safety regulations at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court. As a result the company was fined £3000 and ordered to pay costs of over £12000.

HSE’s investigating inspector Mark Cuff said: “This incident was entirely avoidable and was caused by John Doyle Construction asking Mr. Baccino to work at the top of a structure that was inherently unstable.

“JDC should have considered the implications of not following the procedures for lifting the scaffolding. Its failure to do so resulted in one of its employees being seriously injured, and it was only by chance there wasn’t a fatality.”

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